Roost Benchmark

Hiked: 10/14/2016
Distance: 8 miles round trip on trail and cross country
Summit Elevation: 4351'
Elevation Gain: 2200'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 1.76
Round trip time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Recommended water: 68 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free on Sunrise Highway (S1)
Difficulty: Moderate

After completing Garnet Peak and Garnet Mountain, I was warmed up and ready for Roost Benchmark (SDC #44). Roost was meatier than the Garnets, featuring a canyon profile (descent first, ascent on return) and some class 2 to reach the summit. I parked at the Lucky 5 Ranch gate and crossed the highway to the starting gate. From there, you can see the top of Roost, lower and in the distance. It is a winding route to get to it. The first part of the trail is a dirt road. After a short rise, it starts dropping. As it started to descend, I noticed a memorial on the right side of the trail to John Michael Farawell, complete with worn out hiking boots. According to the sign, his lifespan was only 24 years. It's sad to think he only made it to 24, but someone built him a nice memorial. I couldn't find any details online. Just past the first switchback, the road split, and the one heading toward Roost (left) became somewhat overgrown. It didn't require bushwhacking, more like bush dodging as it descended into Oriflamme Canyon. There was a fallen tree near the bottom that required a bypass. Most of the elevation change is spent descending into and climbing out of Oriflamme Canyon. Even though you can see the elevated road cut of S1 from most points along the way, I got a feeling of isolation. About half way, there is a buried water tank next to some odd looking posts. In fact, there were several water troughs in the area, presumably for unseen cattle. There were also a lot of deer prints and coyote scat along the trail.

Start gate

Michael John Farawell memorial and boots

Road split

No comment

Roost peeking out above the rolling hills, dwarfed by Granite Mountain

Tree obstacle

Buried water tank and wooden posts

The trail rolls gently up and down after it climbs out of Oriflamme Canyon until it dies out. Roost is not visible for most of the hike. If you follow the road all the way, as I did, Roost might be hidden by the intervening bump. I veered east to a saddle where Roost came into view. When I got to the first bump, I sidehilled around it, though I think going over it is easier. I picked my way up class 2 boulders to the summit of Roost, a perfect perch above Mason Valley. I found a benchmark on the summit as well as a lightly filled register book going back to 2011. Roost seemed to be far less popular than the Garnets. The summit views were exceptional and I hung around a while taking in the desert grandeur. The return was uneventful.

Roost is the bump on the right

Approaching Roost

Class 2 ascent

Roost BM summit and register cans, Whale Peak in the distance

Massive Granite Mountain

Triangulation benchmark

Mason Valley, Storm Canyon coming in the from the right

Craig Barlow in the register

Garnet Mountain

Hiked: 10/14/2016
Distance: 1 mile round trip on trail and cross country
Summit Elevation: 5680'
Elevation Gain: 200'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 0.16
Round trip time: 25 minutes
Recommended water: 0 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free on Sunrise Highway (S1)
Difficulty: Easy

Just up the road from Garnet Peak, and just off the road is Garnet Mountain (#14). I am puzzled by it being on the San Diego list since there are several more interesting bumps along Sunrise Highway. I parked at a turnaround by a PCT crossing. I made the mistake of starting up the PCT, when the closest approach is an unsigned dirt road starting at a dented gate. It was obvious soon enough that I was going the wrong way, and I returned to the start to take the road. It was less than a half mile to the saddle, then some light bushwhacking to the summit. Standard red cans held the overflowing registers. I was even more mystified by this peak selection since the summit views were not as good as Garnet Peak. It was 25 minutes car to car, even counting my starting mistake. Not much to say about this one.

Correct starting gate, Garnet Mountain is the bump on the left

Start of the short bushwhack

Summit and register cans

Looking down at the 4Runner and up to Garnet Peak

Garnet Peak

Hiked: 10/14/2016
Distance: 2.4 miles round trip on trail
Summit Elevation: 5880'
Elevation Gain: 540'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 0.43
Round trip time: 1 hour
Recommended water: 16 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free on Sunrise Highway (S1)
Difficulty: Easy

The agenda was to bag San Diego Sierra Club peaks along Sunrise Highway. There are several short, easy hikes in this area and Garnet Peak (#9) was up first. I tried to time it so that I was on the summit at sunrise. I would have been on top before sunrise except I drove past the trailhead in the dark. It is a small turnout on the north side of the road. Once I parked, it was light enough to start without a headlamp. The trail is a dirt road to start, narrowing to a single track before ending at a nice summit area overlooking the Anza-Borrego desert. The view from the summit is definitely worth the minimal effort, explaining the nearly full register books jammed into the standard pair of red cans. I poked around for a benchmark without luck. I didn't really feel like resting after such a short ascent, so after taking some pictures, I headed back.

Trail start

Garnet Peak ahead

Orangey sky at the summit

Desert view

Glowing mountains

Looking into the Storm Canyon drainage

Good morning, Anza-Borrego

Radiance

LC2 BM and Moro Ridge BM

Hiked: 10/8/2016
Distance: 7.8 miles round trip on trail
Summit Elevation: 912' (LC2), 1013' (Moro)
Elevation Gain: 1300'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 1.04
Round trip time: 2 hours
Recommended water: 32 oz.
Parking/Fees: $3 OC Parks
Difficulty: Easy

I thought I had exhausted all the OC peaklets in the San Joaquin Hills, at least ones with benchmarks, but a scan of the peakbagger map showed otherwise. Patrick Vaughn added Moro Ridge Benchmark to the database this year, marked on the topo with an X at 1013'. I planned a jog along Bommer Ridge to get it, and to check out another X at 912' near the south end of the ridge. Neither of these marks appear in the downloadable OC Geodetic Survey.

I parked at the Big Bend staging area on Laguna Canyon Road. The parking lot has a portable restroom and plenty of parking. I packed light: two bottles of water, a couple of bandaids, and regular running shoes. I started south, planning to use Laguna Ridge trail. However, it was closed for some reason so I turned right up the Big Bend trail. Most of the gain comes in three sections of this trail before it hits Bommer Ridge. Once on the ridge, I turned left (south) and started jogging toward the first peaklet at 912'. The ridge is wide, smooth, and mostly rock free. Easy going for both people and bikes. It was a quick trip to 912' where I found an OC benchmark stamped "LC2", presumably Laguna Canyon 2. The area looked like it had undergone a controlled burn. Without delay, I headed back north along the ridge. I got distracted and climbed the bump at the turn which had nothing newsworthy. I got back on the ridge and jogged to the junction with the Willow trail. I hiked up to the Moro Canyon gate, then down Moro Canyon trail. I thought I might have to leave the trail to get to the top, but I saw a couple of mountain bikers on top and knew they didn't ride through any brush. About a quarter mile down the trail, the summit trail climbs up to the right. There I found the benchmark stamped "Moro" sticking well above ground, most of it still encased in concrete. I took a break to enjoy the view and exchange greetings with the bikers. Two more peaklets bagged, I returned to the car, jogging the flats and downhills on the way back. I'll never set any speed records, but going lighter and faster was fun on easy terrain.

Art at the start

Saddleback

LC2 summit

LC2 benchmark

Moro Canyon gate, Moro Ridge benchmark rising behind

Moro benchmark

Moro summit

Bluewater Traverse and Peak 2616

Hiked: 9/30/2016
Distance: 20.9 miles round trip on trail
Summit Elevation: 2616'
Elevation Gain: 3900'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 3.12
Round trip time: 9 hours
Recommended water: 200 oz.
Parking/Fees: Adventure Pass
Difficulty: Strenuous

In Jerry Schad's book Afoot and Afield in Orange County, he described a one way hike from the San Juan trailhead on Ortega Highway to the Verdugo Trail to Fisherman's Camp as the Bluewater Traverse. He contemplated the possibility of climbing Peak 2616 near Oak Flats and possibly doing a giant loop back on the overgrown (at the time) North Tenaja trail. We planned to complete the giant loop, completely circling Bluewater Canyon in the San Mateo Wilderness. Few people have done as much to showcase and advance hiking in Orange County and San Diego County as Jerry Schad. For me, this was a tribute hike for Jerry Schad, who passed away in 2011 at the relatively young age of 61.

We started in the dark from the parking lot across from the Candy Store on Ortega Highway. The most dangerous part of the hike was at the very beginning when we had to cross the highway to get to the trail. There was an endless stream of commuters heading toward Orange County and there was no crosswalk or stoplight. After waiting more than 5 minutes, there was no break in the traffic. Finally, a car stopped and let us across the road. By the time we got to 4 corners, dawn had arrived and we put away our headlamps. We each cached a small amount of water for the return trip, then started down the Verdugo trail. The well maintained trail snaked around side canyons before the junction with Bluewater trail. We continued on the Verdugo trail so we could climb Peak 2616. Just before the peak, the signed Lucas Canyon trail came in from the direction of Ortega highway. I had not heard of this trail and it wasn't on anyone's map. Peak 2616 was a grassy hill, a 5 minute diversion, though it is fairly remote from any trailhead. Nothing marked the summit, but views were good in every direction, including the ocean and Catalina. We dropped off the peak and followed the wide trail to Oak Flats. Tall oaks and grassy fields seemed out of place inside the uniform blanket of chaparral that covered the surrounding area. From Oak Flats, we grabbed the Bluewater trail again for the sudden and steep 1500' descent into Bluewater Canyon. For just under a mile, the shaded trail traced the canyon, crossing the dry stream several times before hitting San Mateo Creek.

First view of Oak Flats in the distance

Continuing on Verdugo at the Bluewater Trail junction

Peak 2616, a grassy knoll

Santiago Peak far away

Oaks at Oak Flats

Heading out of Bluewater Canyon

I was surprised to find the junction at San Mateo Canyon signed, with distances listed to nearby destinations. I expected this remote area to be less maintained. About 0.7 miles upstream, we arrived at the North Tenaja trail junction. Again, I was surprised not only by the signage, but the clearly maintained North Tenaja trail. Jerry Schad's report from 1995 described this trail as "too overgrown for most hikers." Dima had hauled some loppers all the way, only to find them unneeded. He seemed a little disappointed. We kicked around the idea of taking a side trip over to Fisherman's Camp, but the temperature had risen to an uncomfortable level, the tail end of a very hot Santa Ana wind event. The steep 1300' climb to the parallel ridge along Bluewater Canyon had no shade and was somewhat unpleasant. Sean might have chosen a different set of words to describe it. Once on the ridge, though, the rest of the gain was mild, spread over a long distance. From the North Tenaja trail, I got some great views into Bluewater Canyon. Several sections looked clear, unclogged by debris. This was encouraging for a future trip into the untamed canyon. The only unusual sight on the way back was a newer pair of women's running shoes abandoned in the center of the trail. This was about 3 miles away from 4 corners on a lightly traveled trail. We jokingly started looking around for the body. Sean decided to pack the shoes out, but the mystery remains unsolved. Back at 4 corners, we collected our cached water and took the longer Bear Canyon Ridge trail out. Crossing Ortega back to our cars was troublesome again, with traffic flowing the other direction. It's an extra hazard during commuting hours.

Juntion at San Mateo Canyon

San Mateo Canyon from the trail on the north wall

Starting back on the North Tenaja trail

Switchbacks to Fisherman's camp

San Mateo Canyon from the North Tenaja trail

Back on the ridge after the steep ascent

Switchbacks from the Bluewater Trail descending the opposite ridge

Looking up Bluewater Canyon

Mysterious running shoes